8 Tips for the Bergen to Oslo Train Trip

[Cienfuegos]

Good thread.

 

In general, with most rail cars, the seats at either end of the car are over the wheels. That can lead to some clickety-clack noise as the wheel sets pass over switches or joints where rails connect.  Some people find that calming and refreshing. Others find it irritating. 

 

Middle of the car seats or rooms are usually more comfortable in that regard.

 

On our extension, Viking took the last two cars of the 8 am-ish train. The last car in its entirety, and about half the next to last car. That was shared with regular passengers.  Many young travelers with backpacks etc.

[SempreMare]

4 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

And you don’t get to Oslo until late evening. 

 

Yea.  Clay, I almost included that on my 'con' list.  

 

However, another way to think about it is: 
What is the actual departure time impact on Oslo activities available for that train day of travel? 

 

- Early morning departure --> 3:30pm-ish arrival, then hotel checkin.

By that 5:00 time, all the afternoon activities are over.

 

After that long in a train and a late night before, I'd fall asleep if I planned to see the theater or opera.    I'd need to be on my feet, but I would not want to book a pre-planned evening tour, even if I could find one.  Too many variables in a travel day. 

 

So, Activities: 

Dinner -->  Downtown People Watching / Window Shopping -->  Walk back to hotel and unpack.

 

Comment on the Munch
I chose to try to see the Munch on arrival day.  However, even with this earliest possible arrival, there was only time to see one floor of the Munch where I promptly fell in love with that painting that looked like the sun was bursting through.   When I return, I'll do the Munch as the main morning or afternoon activity; not travel day.  [ but even if you only have 1 hour, it's still worth price of admission for that hour.  Just take in the main upper floor with his most famous works. ] 

 

- Late morning departure --> 6:00pm-ish arrival, then hotel checkin. 

Still plenty of time for dinner + a fitness walk before sunset through the main shopping drag in downtown Oslo.  (on those main shopping streets / people watching streets between the train station and the National Parliament / National Theater area.) 

 

When I walked back to the hotel the night before leaving, much later than arrival night, the pedestrian-only streets seemed as bustling as earlier, but different.  Less of a workers-commuting feel and more of a fun socializing feel.  Lots of happy Norwegians and young adults / high schoolers out in a people-watching atmosphere.

 

So, Activity options are almost identical to before

Dinner -->  Downtown People Watching / Window Shopping -->  Walk back to hotel and unpack

 

But with more sleep, less early morning time stress / more time to accommodate delays in getting to the train station.

 

Despite what I experienced above, when would I still prefer the early train time? 

If I were debarking directly from the Viking ship to the Bergen --> Oslo train on same day.

 

Why?   Because there is no chance of getting those extra hours of sleep on debarkation early morning.  Even in a room at the end of the hall, I heard lots of noise, door slamming, and commotion starting early early on debarkation day that I didn't hear on any other day of the cruise.  Plus I knew that the room stewards wanted access to start cleaning my room for next guests, so I felt pressure to be out.

Edited March 24, 2023 by SempreMare

[Peregrina651]

44 minutes ago, SempreMare said:

Why?   Because there is no chance of getting those extra hours of sleep on debarkation early morning.  Even in a room at the end of the hall, I heard lots of noise, door slamming, and commotion starting early early on debarkation day that I didn't hear on any other day of the cruise. 

 

 

The noise issue aside, we have to be out the cabins by 7am and off the ship by 10am. There is no sleeping in on disembarkation day for anyone (unless you are on a B2B and aren't disembarking).

 

 

[SempreMare]

@Peregrina651 agreed.  Might as well be sleepy on a train and moving on to next destination than sleepy in the ship’s living room.

 

I would choose the Bergen —> Oslo  late morning departure only if I were departing from a Bergen hotel vs a Viking ship.

 

Oh!  Another reason to depart on the 11:15am train! 
 

—> the Bergen Bors hotel (like many European 4-5* hotels) has an astonishingly delicious breakfast buffet in a gorgeous, massive breakfast room with floor to ceiling frescos..  

 

YES there is still the possibility for fast breakfast buffet there at 6:15am (thank you Viking).  But we pushed the stressed staff to their limits in that coffee service with everyone arriving at once.

With a later train departure, you can enjoy a leisurely 8:00am big breakfast at their expansive buffet with a happy staff ready to explain what __dishname I need to look up__ is.     The perfect meal before a loooong train ride with limited food options.  On sightseeing days, after that breakfast, I was not hungry again till dinner.

Edited March 24, 2023 by SempreMare

[Moonlion]

7 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

And you don’t get to Oslo until late evening. 

The 11:43 AM departure gets into Oslo around 7 PM.  But, remember there's daylight until 10 PM or later towards the end of May in Oslo.

[Moonlion]

4 minutes ago, Moonlion said:

The 11:43 AM departure gets into Oslo around 7 PM.  But, remember there's daylight until 10 PM or later towards the end of May in Oslo.

Oops, didn't see the above posts before posting.  The daylight issue was already mentioned.

[Moonlion]

We took the Bergen to Oslo train at the end of May.  We booked independently, not with Viking's extension.  Here is my promised report. 

 

We booked the "Plus" seats (aka "Komfort Class") directly through the Vy.no site.  We thought the Plus seat were definitely worth it if going independently since the cost was not that much more than the standard seats (about $25 extra per ticket). However, if going on a Viking extension that includes the train, I'm not sure it would be worth it to purchase two Plus seats since the standard seats seem comfortable enough. 

 

The Plus seats are in car #1, at the front of the train in the Bergen to Oslo direction.  Therefore, there's minimal foot traffic through the car with people going to and from the dining car.  Other advantages included: slightly wider seats (maybe 1/2 to 3/4 inch); much more legroom (about a foot more than the standard seats); a nice table for working or eating that is not obtrusive given the huge amount of legroom; fewer people booked in the Plus car; and a coffee/expresso machine available all day.  The Plus car in general seemed less crowded and packed.

 

There's been a lot of discussion about which side of train has the more scenic views. To be honest, there were great views on both sides of train so I wouldn't worry about it too much.  However, I thought the edge went to the right side if facing forward in the Bergen to Oslo direction (see my notes below). In the Plus car, most of the forward facing seats are on the left side of train in the Bergen to Oslo direction; most of the seats on the right sight are rear facing. On the left side, some of the best forward facing seats without a wall obstructing the views are: 29/30; 33/34; and 41/42.  On the right side, the best forward facing seats without obstruction are: seats 11/12 and 3/4 (however, seats 3/4 are the back of the train right next to the WC).  

 

All the seats in the standard cars are forward facing in the Bergen to Oslo direction. Not sure if they would be rear facing in the Oslo to Bergen direction.

 

We took the 11:43 AM train (May 25th) which was a good decision since we spent one night in Bergen after disembarking from our BIE cruise on May 23rd. We got to sleep in a bit, had a fabulous, relaxing breakfast at the Thon Orion Hotel and then took a cab to the train station ($20).  The train left exactly on time and arrived in Oslo at 7:05 PM.  There was still plenty of daylight in Oslo when we arrived.  In fact, at this time of year, it didn't get dark in Oslo until after 10 PM! 

 

My notes:

• No Wifi on train; train almost empty at Bergen but was about 3/4 full at end of trip especially in the standard cars; Dining car was busy but we could find seats both times we went (fairly decent selection of food items - try the meatballs); WC is very similar to airplane toilets in size and cleanliness
• First hour (11:45 AM to 12:45 PM): about 85% of time is spent going through tunnels; best views are on the left but you only see glimpses of scenery between tunnels
• Second hour (12:45-1:45 PM): about 25% of time in tunnels; starting to see snow-clad mountains; nice scenery both sides but more spectacular on right side
• Third hour (1:45-2:45 PM): almost half the time spent going through tunnels or across bridges with more limited views; beautiful snow-clad mountains on both sides but more panoramic views on the right side; it was so white and bright, we needed sunglasses!
• 2:25 PM: reached Finse station; at 1200 meters; the highest elevation on trip
• Fourth hour (2;45-3:45 PM): few tunnels; starting to leave mountains and seeing more farmland and rural areas; lots of rivers, lakes, green hills and dense trees in distant mountains; left side more scenic
• Fifth hour (3:45-4:45 PM): trees lining tracks, beautiful, glittering lakes; gorgeous views on both sides; right side more scenic towards the end of the fifth hour
• Sixth hour (4:45-5:45 PM): farmland, lakes, very green; best views alternate between the right and left sides
• 5:45-6:30 PM: better scenery on the left; more industrial and built up the closer we got to Oslo
• Last half hour: more tunnels again; industrial and urban

[Cienfuegos]

Thanks for the summary of the train trip.  I don't know if the process has changed, but in 2019 the locomotive was on the "Bergen end" of the train.  There was a control cabin for the engineer on the "Oslo end" of the train.  That train was not turned at the Bergen end of the route.

[PRH]

On 3/22/2023 at 2:45 PM, Clay Clayton said:

 

FYI

When I looked (a month or more ago) at doing this routing and spending a night somewhere along the way (as opposed to arriving in Oslo at 11pm or so), I was unable to find accommodations (hotels and Airbnb) close to the stations with availability. Most places said a car was needed. 

 

YMMV

There are two hotels in Flam.  One is on the point and the other sits further back.  We stayed at the one on the point.  Took the ferry the next morning to Gud—the fjords were incredible!  Here is the view from our room.  We went Oslo to Bergen via Myrdal, Flam, Gud.  

[Capt_BJ]

there's more than two

 

 

and don't forget Vatnahalsen Høyfjellshotell AS - Resort hotel up by Myral (and the zipline)

 

we stayed at Heimly Pensjonat but walked to Flåm Marina & Apartments - Restaurant for some beverages ..... 

 

YES that is a guy swimming in Flam ..... and we talked to him ... he was from Florida!